PLANS to build a retirement home on a croft just two metres from Gargrave Vicarage have been thrown out by Craven planners.

The proposed, part two storey, three bedroom home on the land off Church Lane, was intended for a Gargrave couple, Craven District Council's planning committee heard.

The plan received 11 letters of objection and was opposed by Gargrave Parish Council, but there was no objection from the church diocese.

Duncan Clark, son of the applicants, told last week's meeting that it would free up a large, much needed family house in the village and its claimed harmful impact had been "exaggerated out of all proportion".

But Cllr Simon Myers, (Gargrave, Cons) urged the committee to refuse the application. He said green space was valued in Gargrave, that the proposed house would affect the character of the village and it would have a clear impact on the neighbouring vicarage, which had three windows looking directly towards the proposed new building.

Cllr Alan Sutcliffe (Gargrave, Cons), who moved officers' recommendation to refuse the application, said the council had gone to "considerable"cost to seek the opinion of a planning barrister to make sure its reasons for refusal were sound, which he believed would stand up at appeal.

Correspondence from chartered town planners acting for the Clarks received just before the meeting raised "serious concerns" about the officers' report, disagreed with the refusal recommendation and argued that it be approved.

Cllr Ady Green (Cowling, Cons) said he was suspicious of the siting of the house so close to the vicarage when there was so much room.

"I cannot see that anyone would think building a house so close to another property is acceptable. I would like to see an application for a house two metres away from the applicants' house and see what they had to say about it," he said.

Cllr Chris Harbron (Skipton, Cons) described it as an anti-social application, and fellow Skipton Cllr Robert Heseltine said if it was any closer it would be "semi-detached" with the vicarage.

"The parish council are adamantly against it and that is sufficient for me," he said.

The application was refused because of its significant harm on the conservation area due to the loss of open space which made an "important contribution to the character, appearance and significance of the designated heritage asset".

It would also have an overbearing impact, detrimental to the residential amenities of the vicarage.